Flexible rubber mask



March 20, 1945. D. A. WALLACE FLEXIBLE RUBBER MASK Filed Augj 26, 1942 MZM W WWW Patented Mar. 20, 1945 UNITED STATE FLEXIBLE RUBBER MASK M w David A. Wallace, Detroit Mich, assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland corporation of Delaware I Application August 26, 1942," Serial Park, Mich, a

. 9 Claims. (c1. 9-1- -.65)

My present invention relates to masking devices for use in applying paint or other fluids to portions of surfaces such as the outer surface of a, vehicle tonneau or the like. The purpose of the present invention is to perm'itfluid materials to be appliedto certain portions of a surface of' which other portions are, to be left free of ;the fluid material, the masking device affording a sharp line of demarcation between the covered and uncovered portions of the surface. The invention is'of particular utility in painting twotone automobile bodies, but other uses therefor will be readily apparent to those skilled in the arts to which the invention is of utility.

An object of the present invention is to provide a masking device which maybe used over and over again without losing its effectiveness. The present invention thus achieves considerable savings over prior practices involvingthe use of adhesive tapes or the likewhich become torn, or lose their adhesivejqualities, during successive handlings.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a masking device including an edging member having means for self-adherence to the surface to which it is applied.

A further object of the present invention is to" provide an edging member which includes means for self-adherence to a surface to be applied, said means comprising in' part aplurality of suction pockets, some of which are relativelylarge and function as general placement and weight-supporting pockets and others of which, positioned along the edges of the edging member, arerela tively small and serve as definite edge locating pockets. j

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from reference to the-following specification and drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

' In the drawing,

' Fig. 1 discloses an automobile tonneau as it is received in the painting department for application'of two distinct colors having a sharp line of demarcation between the areas of different color;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along line 2-4 of Fig. 1: and

Fig. 3is a view similar edging member of the present invention in approximate position but before final application thereof to the surface to be painted.

Fig, '1 discloses an automobile tonneau I having an upper portion to which paint of one to Fig. 2 showing the color is to be applied and a lower portion l2 to which paint of another color is to be applied, the tonneau having the masking device 15 of the present invention applied thereto. I

The masking device comprises a flexible fabriclike cover [6 adapted to be'draped ,over the portion from which the paint or other fluid material is to be excluded and an edging member I! to which the cover 16 is attached. The edging membercompris'es a relatively wide band'of rubber or other rubber-like, resilient material, the band having sufficient body to facilitate handling of the masking device but being sufficiently flexible that any portion thereof may be displaced relative to other portions thereof so as to permit application of the, band to surfaces having corners and irregular contours. Preferably the bandis provided with sharp edges afforded by sloping the outer surfaces 20 and, 2!, respectively, away from the edges l8 and I9 toward the central portion of the band so that clear view of the edges may be afforded. Preferablythe inner surface of the band is bowed outwardly between the edges l8 and (9 to provide a continuous space 22 between the surface and the inner surface of the band So 'thatwhen pressure is applied to the outer surface of the band and the air is driven from beneath the band a. partial vacuum will be established tending to maintain the band in position. Since this vacuum may be imperfectly established and readily disrupted the innersurface of the band ispreferably provided with at least one row of relatively large pockets 23 which may be deformed by pressing inwardly on the outer s urfaceof the band to exclude air therefrom, the pockets thus serving to maintain the bandin general position according to the suction cup principle, It is, to be appreciated that the material of the band is air-impervious or that the inner surface of the band'at least has been so treated as torender the admission of air into the pockets 23 through the material of the band relatively impossible. use the band may be coated with a viscous materialsuch as glycerine or the like so as to aid thev same in maintaining vacuum contact with thesurface to be paintedQbut generally such additional coating material is unnecessary.

Preferably, the material of the band adjacent the edges l8 and I9 is of suflicient hardness to maintain relatively straight conformation, the same preferably being accomplished by curing or ,vulcanizing the material of the band adjacent the edges to a greater extent than centrally thereof. In order to maintain a clear line of demarca-:

tion by preventing the leakage of paint or other an offset in the surface of the tonneau. Ac-.f

cor-dingly, the edge l8 and the closely adjacent inner surface of the edging member within which the pockets 24 are positioned may be offset inwardly from the general plane of the inner 'surface of the edging member. ,Such an inwardly offset portion may be found awkward if the edging member is to be applied to an absolutely flat surface'and it may be desired to place the edge I9 at the line of demarcation between the painted and unpainted surfaces. Accordingly, the flexible cover I6 is attached along a single line running substantially parallel to the-edges l8 and I9 and the relative position of the cover and edging member may be reversed to place the edge l9 uppermost, simply by rotating theedging member 180 about the upper edge ofthe cover l6.

It is to be appreciated that the edging member [1 may be used alone when desired, the addition of a flexible cover thereto being advisable for paint spraying applications or the like, but not necessary for some types of work.

I It is to be realized that the present invention may be used over and over again as it is only necessary to break the suction between the inner surface thereof and the outer surface of the article being painted in order to remove it from the article. No adhesive substance is necessary and it is unlikely that the edging member will tear or otherwise fail except after long useor under deliberate mistreatment.

I-Iaving illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that thesame permits of various modifications in arrangement and detail. All such modifications as come within the scopeof the following claims are to be considered a part of my invention.

I claim;

1. An edging member for preventing application of paint or other fluid materials to portions of a work surface during application of such material to the latter comprising a band of flexible material having suflicient body to facilitate handling but being of suflicient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displaced from its normal position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour and including a main body part provided with longitudinal edge portions having surfaces engageable with said work surface and comprising a vacuum chamber between said longitue dinal edge portions having an open side portion adapted to be disposed adjacent said work surface and all parts of its remaining side portions being imperforate for affording self-adherence to such surfaces. i 4

2. An edging member for preventing application of paint or other fluid materials to portions of a work surface during application of such material to the latter comprising a band of soft, rubber-like material having sufficient body to facilitate handling but being of suflicient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displaced from its normal position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour and including a main body part provided with longitudinal edge portions having surfaces engageable with said work surface and comprising a vacuum chamber between said longitudinal edge portions having an open side portion adapted to be disposed adjacent said work surface and all parts ofits remaining side portions being imperforate for affording self-adherence to' such surfaces.

3. An edging member for preventing application of paint or other fluid materials to portions of a work surface during application of such material to the latter comprising a band of soft,

rubber-like material having sumcient body to facilitate handling but being of sufficient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displaced from its normal position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour and including a main body part provided with longitudinal edge portions having surfaces engageable with said work sur face and comprising a vacuum chamber between said longitudinal edge portions having an open side portion adapted to be disposed adjacent said work surface and all parts of itsremaining side portions being imperforate for affording self-adherence to such surfaces, an edge of said band being relatively sharp and the outer surface thereof sloping gradually from said edge toward the center so as to afford clear vision of said sharp'edge. i i i 4. An edging member for preventing application of paint or other fluid materials to portions of a work surface during application of such material to the latter comprising aband of soft, rubber-like resilient material having sufficient body to facilitate handling but being of sufficient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displaced from its normal position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour and including a main body part having longitudinal edge portions provided with sealing surfaces engageable with said work surface and a vacuum chamber between said edge portions having an open side adapted to be disposed adjacent said worksurface and all parts of its remaining sideportions being imperforate for affording self-adherence to such surfaces, an extremity of one edge portion of said band being relatively sharp and the outer surfacethereof sloping gradually from said edge toward the center of said band so as to afford clear vision of said sharp edge, and the material of the band adjacent said sharp edge being considerably vharder than the material of the remainder of the band to enablesaidmember to maintain a sharp line of demarcation between painted and unpainted portions of the surface to which it is applied.

5. An edging member for preventing application of paint or other fluid materials to portions of a work surface during application of such material to the latter comprisin a band of flexible material having sufficient body to facilitate han dling but being of suflicient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displaced from its normal position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour, said material being substantially; air-ignpervious, and the band comprising spaced longitudinal edge portions having sealing surfaces ens gageable with said work surface and including'an intermediate part having a plurality of pockets on its inner surface between said longitudinal edge portions eachhaving an open side adapted to be disposed adjacent said work surface and all parts of its remaining side portions being imperforate, said pockets being deformable by inward pressureso as to establish suction therein to maintain the band in its position of use.

6. An edging member for preventing application of paint or other fluid materials to portions of a surface comprising a band of flexible material having sufiicient body to facilitate handling but being of sufiicient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displaced from its normal and the surface to which it is applied for maintaining the band in position.

8. An edging member for preventing applicaterial having suflicient body to facilitate handling position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour, said material being substantially air-impervious, and the band having a plurality of pockets on its inner surface which may be deformed by inward pressure so as to establish suction therein to maintain the band in its position of use, said pockets including relatively large pockets for general positioning purposes and for supporting the weight of the band and relatively small pockets adjacent an edge thereof for accurately positioning said'edge and preventing flowof paint or other fluid material beyond the desired line of demarcation.

7. An edging member for preventing application of paint or other fluid materials to portions of a surface comprising a band of flexible material having sufficient body to facilitate handling but being of sufficient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displacedfrom its normal position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour, the longitudinal marginal portions of said band being provided with substantially flat sealing surfaces of substantial width engageable with said first mentioned surface and the inner surface of said band being substantially air-impervious and being bowed outwardly between ad jacent longitudinal extremities of said flat surfaces whereby central pressure along the' band tends to establish a vacuum between the band but being of sufficient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displaced from its normal position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour, the longitudinal edge portions of said band being provided with substantially flat sealing surfaces and the inner surface of said band being substantially air-impervious and being bowed outwardly between adjacent longitudinal extremities.

of said flat surfaces whereby central pressure along the band tends to establish a vacuum between the band and the surface to which it is applied for maintaining theband in position; said inner surface having therein a plurality of suc tion-cup pockets each provided with only one open side. A

9. An edging member for preventing application of paint or other fluid materials to portions of a surface comprising a band of flexible material having sufficient body to facilitate handling .but being of sufiicient flexibility that any portion thereof may be displaced from its normal position relative to adjacent portions so as to permit its application to surfaces of irregular contour, the inner surface of said band being substantially air-impervious and being bowed outwardly between its edges whereby central pres sure along the band tends to establish a vacuum between the band and the surface to which it is applied for maintaining the band in position, said inner surface having a plurality of suction-cup pockets therein including relatively large, centrally disposed pockets for general positioning and weight supporting purposes and relatively small pockets along an edge of the band for accurately positioning said edge.

DAVID A. WALLACE. 

